SLO picks design for new Hwy. 101 overpass at Prado Road — and there’s no roundabout
San Luis Obispo is inching closer to building a long-awaited overpass over Highway 101, but it’s still got a few more regulatory hurdles to clear before construction can begin.
At its meeting Tuesday, the San Luis Obispo City Council selected a preferred design for the Prado Road Interchange project and recommended Caltrans approved the project’s environmental document.
“This is a milestone action that will allow Caltrans to finalize the U.S. 101/Prado Road Interchange Project Report and allow the city to move forward with interchange design work,” the city said in a news release.
The new interchange will span Highway 101 at Prado Road, acting as a new connection between the eastern and western portions of the city. When completed, it will connect Dalidio Road and the new San Luis Ranch neighborhoods with Prado Road.
During its meeting Tuesday, the City Council chose what has been called “Alternative A3” as its preferred design.
That design would add a signaled intersection just before the bridge overpass where Prado Road meets the highway, with lights controlling the traffic for the ramps, overpass and Prado Road.
It was the only design up for consideration that did not feature a roundabout.
The preferred design is expected to cost about $97 million — a lower price tag that was a major consideration when it came to picking which alternative would move forward, the city said.
Other benefits included a smaller footprint and better control over the intersection’s traffic signal timing, according to the release.
The project will now go back to Caltrans, which will need to also sign off on the project design and environmental document.
After that, the city can move on to developing specific plans and approving a final design for the long-awaited project, with an eye toward construction starting in 2027.
This story was originally published September 8, 2023 at 9:00 AM.
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